18 Days,
London to London

Spend an amazing eighteen days exploring Western Europe with Topdeck!

Uncover Europe’s hidden treasures on our eighteen day exploration of nine unforgettable countries. Soak up breathtaking natural scenery in Switzerland, awe-inspiring architecture in Rome, amazing canals in Venice and historic sites in Germany. With varied accommodation from hotels to bungalows, you’ll have the chance to really sink your teeth into each and every destination you visit.

Please note: this is a Gap Year trip and is only valid for travellers aged 17-20 years of age.

Itinerary

Day 1:
London, England to Paris, France

All good things start with Paris. Meet the crew and hit the road early in the morning as we jump across to Paris. Pinch yourself and instagram your first selfie before we kick off with a picnic beside the Eiffel Tower. Home to Coco Chanel and the Mona Lisa, Paris more than deserves its reputation as the European capital for all things culture, fashion and food – so prepare for the ultimate adventure!

Included today:
-Driving tour of Paris and gourmet picnic by the Eiffel Tower

Meals:
-Dinner

Day 2:
Paris

This morning: free time en Français. From the Louvre and Musée d’Orsay to the Arc de Triomphe and Champs Élysées, you’ll be sure to make a solid dent in your bucket list. Then: hop on an optional bike tour of Paris or roam the streets on your own. End your day with an optional Seine river cruise or a #throwback cabaret show.

Meals:
-Breakfast

Optional activities:
-Traditional cabaret show in Paris
-Bike tour of Paris
-Seine river cruise in Paris

Day 3:
Paris to Swiss Alps, Switzerland

Trade in Parisian streets for snowy peaks. Home to the highest point in Europe, 72 waterfalls and one of the largest nature conservations in Switzerland, Lauterbrunnen is where we'll be spending the night. Urban charm ain't got nothing on Swiss scenery. Tonight, chow down on Swiss cuisine and hit the bar for a nightcap.

Meals:
-Breakfast
-Lunch
-Dinner

Day 4:
Swiss Alps

Scenic hikes and jaw-dropping views are on today’s agenda. Go low key with a mountain walk or hop on board the Jungfraubahn railway for an optional visit to the Jungfrau Mountain summit. Another local feast awaits your return, regardless of how you make your way back down.

Day 5:
Swiss Alps to Florence, Italy

First up, we’ll stop off at Pisa for THAT shot. Then it’s on to Florence for artistic and culinary delights in equal measure. If you leave here hungry, you made a wrong turn somewhere.

Meals:
-Breakfast
-Lunch
-Dinner

Day 6:
Florence

Florence has more stories than Bilbo Baggins, more culture than a Shoreditch hipster, over 1,800 restaurants AND it gave the world gelato. Get schooled on the Medici family, stroll the Ponte Vecchio (the only bridge not bombed in WWII) and get an in-depth tour of the city with a local guide. Then: check out hundreds of leather shops (after all, this is the city that brought you Gucci) and pay a visit to a famous guy named David.

Included today:
-Walking tour of Florence with a local guide

Meals:
-Breakfast

Day 7:
Florence to Rome

Onwards to Rome. Make like Caesar (the emperor, not the salad) and work up a ‘colossus’ hunger as you pass by the Pantheon, throw your two cents in the Trevi Fountain, sit on the Spanish Steps and visit ancient history's version of The Hunger Games set at the Colosseum.

Included today:
-Visit the town of Orvieto
-Walking tour of Rome

Meals:
-Breakfast
-Lunch

Day 8:
Rome including Vatican City visit

Create the ultimate Roman Holiday in one day with a whirlwind of Vespas, espresso, two-cheek kisses and pizza the way it's supposed to taste. Count your blessings on an optional tour of the Vatican City, then play ‘I spy’ with two-and-a-half millennia worth of history. Shop till you drop on Via Condotti, head to Capitoline Hill for sick views of the Roman Forum and Colosseum, or just kick back in Piazza Navona for some dolce far niente (delicious idleness).

Meals:
-Breakfast
-Dinner

Optional activities:
-Guided tour of Vatican City

Day 9:
Rome to Venice

Hark! Maketh haste to whence the lady Juliet was wooed in Verona. Snap a selfie at her balcony and join throngs of lovers leaving notes on the wall (or avoid the crowds and just marvel at the ancient arena). Say ciao to Venice from across the lagoon as we check into our hotel, have an Eat Pray Love-worthy relationship with an irresistible Italian (meal) and get pumped for living out your own version of The Italian Job tomorrow.

Included today:
-Walking tour of Verona

Meals:
-Breakfast
-Lunch
-Dinner

Optional activities:
-Personalised Topdeck group shirts and hoodies

Day 10:
Venice

Check out St Mark's Square, Accademia Bridge and a who's who of Venice's usual suspects on a guided walking tour, then jump on a vaporetto and explore the Grand Canal. Also on the schedule: an optional gondola ride through Venice’s maze of marble bridges and cafes. Throw your map away in the afternoon and try to find the world's most epic little bookshop, Libreria Acqua Alta – or just go on a mission to find the perfect gelato.

Included today:
-Walking tour of Venice
-Vaporetto ride in Venice

Meals:
-Breakfast
-Dinner

Optional activities:
-Gondola ride in Venice

Day 11:
Venice to Austrian Alps, Austria

Prepare your retinas for the scenery rolling past you outside the coach windows as we make our way to the Alps. So much more than schnitzel, strudel and The Sound of Music, this day should be sponsored by GoPro.

Day 13:
Prague

Another free day for the win! Channel your inner bohemian and seek out the John Lennon memorial wall, then soak up some more Czech history at the National or Communist Museum or get a taste of the quirky local culture at a puppet opera (you gotta see it to believe it). Snap a selfie at Prague's own Eiffel Tower, visit a miniatures museum and eat roast pork from one of the street vendors lining the Old Town Square.

Meals:
-Breakfast

Day 14:
Prague to Berlin, Germany

Get acquainted with 800 year-old Dresden – a city virtually destroyed in WWII and then rebuilt – and ogle the Frauenkirche before we move on to Berlin. Prep yourself for currywurst, absinthe and more hipsters per capita than anywhere else. We'll drive you around to see (what's left of) the Berlin Wall, Checkpoint Charlie, the Brandenburg Gate and the Reichstag building before making your food baby sing with a hearty German meal.

Included today:
-Walking tour of Dresden
-Driving tour of Berlin

Meals:
-Breakfast
-Lunch-Dinner

Day 15:
Berlin

Shake off last night with a wander around the German capital. Choose to take the Third Reich walking tour and gain some insight into what the city was like under Nazi rule during World War II. Hackescher Markt is a hit for lunch. Afternoon suggestion? Have a picnic at the historic Tempelhof airport turned public park. Tonight: hit the hotspots on an optional nightlife tour.

Day 16:
Berlin to Amsterdam, Netherlands

Cheese lovers, rejoice. Your next stop is a local Dutch farm to see how cheddar cheeses (and clogs) get made. Next: Amsterdam, mayo-dipped fries and red lights. Get your bearings on a walking tour of the vibrant capital and see Dam Square, the Royal Palace and the National Monument. Then, explore all that this notoriously liberal city has to offer.

Day 17:
Amsterdam

Join the 881,000 bicycles and get local on an optional bike tour of Amsterdam's iconic canals, bridges and parks. Culture fiends, delve deeper with a visit to the Anne Frank House (make sure to book this one in advance) or the Van Gogh or Rijksmuseum. Still thirsty for more? Check out the Heineken Experience for an interactive brewery visit and tasting. Tonight, we share a farewell cruise on the canal.

Included today:
-Canal dinner cruise in Amsterdam

Meals:
-Breakfast
-Dinner

Optional activities:
-Bike tour of Amsterdam

Day 18:
Amsterdam to London, England

Today it’s back across the Channel to ol’ Blighty to start planning your next adventure. Facebook friends?